Treatment of back pain by therapists is typically performed manually and/or by use of modality machines or systems. Such treatment is generally known as a modality, which includes the physical treatment of a disorder. Back pain may be the result of a number of different reasons, including degenerative disc disease, herniated disc, posterior facet syndrome, sciatica, specific injury, etc. In the case of treating back pain, a number of modality treatments may be performed, including spinal traction and spinal decompression. There are generally two types of spinal decompression, including intradiscal or intervertebral disc decompression (IDD) and muscular or ligament decompression (conventional). Traction and decompression modality treatments are generally understood to be types of spinal distraction techniques. Traction and decompression are considered general terms that do not necessarily include intradiscal disc decompression. Traction generally is performed by pulling to a maximum or predetermined high tension level for a period of time (e.g., 30 minutes) and then releasing. Conventional decompression involves cycling between a high or predetermined level of tension (e.g., 24 pounds) and a lower level of tension (e.g., 18 pounds). The cycling between the high and lower tension levels is generally performed over a predetermined duration of time (e.g., 30 minutes) with multiple durations of high and low tension level intervals (e.g., six minute intervals).
Modality treatment is generally based on specific back pain that a patient is suffering. For example, disc injuries of the spinal column may be treated using conventional decompression to facilitate natural reparation of the disc. The use of conventional decompression provides for release or relaxation of paraspinal muscles, which are involuntary muscles that operate to maintain 4000 Newtons of pressure between each vertebrae by confusing the paraspinal muscles via the high and low tension level cycling. By relaxing these paraspinal muscles, the vertebrae are able to be manipulated or separated so that needed healing fluids are able to reach the disc (in the case of a dehydrated or injured disc) or the disc is able to be realigned (in the case of a slipped disc), for example.
While conventional decompression treatment profiles have been incorporated into the modality machines, the modality machines are still problematic for many patients with severe injuries or sensitivity problems because the conventional decompression, in general, does not perform intradiscal disc decompression. In these and other cases, patients are incapable of being treated with modality machines due to certain pain issues, such as pinched nerves or paraspinal muscles that do not satisfactorily release by using conventional decompression techniques. Often, even the slightest surge in acceleration may cause significant discomfort for the patients with pain sensitivity problems. In these cases, manual manipulation is generally used to treat the patients. What is needed is a modality machine that uses intradiscal disc decompression techniques that more closely resembles manual manipulation to allow the patient with higher sensitivity (e.g., more pain issues) to be treated with a machine. In addition, there is a need for the modality machine to internally activate dry or partially dry discs with intradiscal substances for reparation of the discs during treatment.